Future mating expectations of a male praying mantis

Female Chinese mantids (Tenodera sinensis) may cannibalize their sexual partners before, during, or after copulation. Sexual cannibalism eliminates the possibility of future reproduction for the male, potentially limiting the number of offspring he can produce. In this study, we examined the mating opportunities and the future mating expectations of male mantids. While conducting transects of two field populations, we collected data on population size and densities using mark and recapture techniques. Each point of capture and recapture was recorded using a GPS unit to determine the ranges and dispersal distances of individuals within the sites. These data showed that the ranges of male mantids overlapped that of multiple females, thus offering the potential for multiple mating by males.